If Only I'd Killed You
by DaLiza
Summary: Set after “Two Bodies in the Lab”. When Agent Kenton is offered immunity in exchange for testifying against the Romanos, Booth is assigned to protect him! How will he face the man who tried to kill Bones?
1. Chapter 1

"Drop by my office first thing tomorrow morning," Deputy Director Cullen had said when he called last night. Booth had asked if there was a problem, but hadn't received a satisfactory answer. "We'll talk about it tomorrow," was all he would say.

That morning, as Booth put on his professional suit and unprofessional socks (they were black with green shamrocks and leprechauns saying "Happy St. Patrick's Day"), he wondered what Cullen was going to say to him. Maybe he was going to congratulate him for solving the Cugini case, or give him a heartfelt "Welcome back, Booth. We're glad that you recovered from your showdown with Dr. Brennan's refrigerator and are ready to get back to work.. We've really missed you around here." Yes, that was it, he decided as he drove to the FBI building. His boss was going to shower him with praise. He probably wanted to recommend him for a medal of honor, but Booth didn't care about medals. If he ever received one he would leave it in a drawer somewhere until Parker needed something special for Show and Tell.

As soon as Booth entered Cullen's office, however, all his hopes of a warm welcome evaporated. His boss's face told him that this would not be a pleasant meeting. "Sit down, Booth," Cullen said. Booth did as he was told. "I have to talk to you about Agent Kenton."

Kenton. Booth bristled at the mere mention of him. He had thought that Kenton was a decent guy and a respectable agent. He had trusted him with his partner's life, and the bastard had tried to kill her. If Booth had had Brennan go to the refrigerator to get his drink, or if he had reached the warehouse a few minutes later than he did, she would be dead right now. He shuddered to think of the squints looking at her body on an examining table. He pushed the unwelcome image to the back of his mind. "What about Kenton, sir?"

"The district attorney is offering him immunity in exchange for his testimony against the Romano family," Cullen answered.

"What?!" Booth was outraged. "He's a murderer. He killed Cugini and Hollins and tried to kill my partner."

"Cugini was a mob boss and Hollins was a serial killer. Not exactly pillars of the community," Cullen reasoned. "Both men would have certainly killed again. You could argue that Kenton saved lives by killing them."

"And his attempts to kill Dr. Brennan? They don't count for anything?" Booth asked. " Dr. Brennan's not a killer. She's the best forensic anthropologist in the country. Her work has stopped dozens of murderers. Who knows how many lives she's saved?" Too late Booth realized that he was practically screaming at his boss.

Cullen wasn't surprised at the intensity of Booth's response. He had suspected there was something going on between Booth and the doctor. "What is your relationship with Dr. Brennan, Agent Booth?" he asked, calm in the face of Booth's shouting.

Booth shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "She's my partner, sir. And my friend." He was pleased to hear that his voice had returned to its normal volume.

Cullen wasn't convinced. "Really? Is that all?"

"Yes, sir." Booth felt his anger rising again and fought to control it. "Why do you ask?"

"Several agents who were at the warehouse expressed their concerns to me about your behavior," Cullen responded. "They said that you were highly agitated. You wanted to enter the warehouse with them despite your injuries. You demanded your gun. You gave your vest to a squint and let him come with you. After you shot Kenton, they say you and Dr. Brennan shared a long embrace."

Booth's mind returned to that moment. He had thought she would never let go of him and he hadn't wanted her to. "Is it a crime to comfort your partner after she's nearly killed? Fine. Arrest me," Booth snapped. He stood up abruptly and gave his boss a defiant stare.

Cullen motioned for Booth to sit down again. "Settle down, Booth. If you maintain that your relationship with her is strictly professional, then I believe you. I know that you would never let emotions interfere with your job."

Booth returned to his seat. "Thank you, sir."

"Which is why I've assigned you to escort Agent Kenton to a safe house," Cullen continued. "You'll leave this afternoon."

"Sir, you can't ask me to protect the man who put a gun to my partner's head," Booth argued. If only I'd killed him when I shot him, he thought. Then I wouldn't be in this mess

"I'm asking you to do your job, Agent Booth. If you can't do your job, feel free to take more time off...either on a temporary or permanent basis." Cullen paused to judge Booth's reaction. "Well, Booth? What will it be?"

Booth had never wanted to think of Kenton again, let alone see him. How could he look at him and not be reminded of Bones gagged and tied up? How could he look at him and not want to kill him? But he didn't have a choice. If he wanted to continue his partnership with Brennan, he needed to keep his job with the FBI. If he wanted to keep his job, he would have to deal with Kenton. "I'll do it," he said finally.

"Great," Cullen said. "You leave in four hours."

Four hours, Booth repeated mentally. In four hours I have to face the man who tried to murder my partner... the woman I love so much it scares me.

Screw the Romanos, Booth decided. I'll kill him myself.

**Thanks for reading! Please let me know if you think I should continue this story.** **All comments are greatly appreciated. :)**


	2. Chapter 2

1 hour to go.

Since his meeting with Cullen, Booth had been catching up on the massive amount of paperwork that had accumulated in his absence. After three hours he couldn't take it anymore. He pushed the papers to one side of his desk, took his phone out of his pocket, and dialed Brennan's cell. He had called her a lot in the past few days, as hearing her voice reassured him that she was alive and well. "Brennan," she answered.

"Hey, it's me. How are you?" She kept saying she was fine, but Booth didn't believe it.

"I'm fine, Booth. Really." If she were honest with herself, she would admit that she was anything but fine; she had been seconds away from death and was completely powerless to help herself. She had always thought that she could handle any situation on her own, but she had been proved wrong. She had needed Booth to rescue her. Looking back, she was a little embarrassed at how tightly she had clung to him, how needy she had been. She had to re-establish a professional distance if they were going to continue to work together. "Do we have a new case?"

"No, not a case. I just called to let you know I can't come to the lab today." Booth felt like a husband telling his wife he wouldn't be home for dinner. "I have to..." He stopped himself mid-sentence. Should he tell her about Kenton? Would she be mad at him for protecting her would be killer?

"You have to what?"

Booth hesitated. He didn't want to tell her, but he wasn't going to lie to her either. "I have to take Kenton to a safe house. He's going to testify against the Romanos."

"Oh. I see. " A small part of her had wondered what was going to happen to Kenton. The rest of her wanted to forget him. To let him into her thoughts was to give him power over her.

"I don't want to do it," Booth said quickly. "I want to kill him. He deserves to die for what he did to you."

Brennan blushed. Booth really was her knight in shining FBI standard issue body armor. He would do anything for her, but she couldn't let him do this. "You can't kill him, Booth, not if his testimony could put the Romanos away."

Booth knew that she was right, as she was 99.9 percent of the time. "Alright. I won't kill him...at least not until the trial ends," he joked.

Brennan smiled. She liked how Booth could deflate the most serious moment with humor. Her emotional side wanted to continue the conversation, but her rational side- which had always been much stronger- knew that there was too much work to be done. "I should get back to work. Good luck with everything."

"Thanks," Booth said. "Good luck to you too." He heard her hang up but was reluctant to close his phone. He didn't want to let her go. He wanted to be at the lab with her, not in his office filling out stupid forms and waiting around for Kenton. He checked his watch. 54 minutes to go. With a deep sigh he returned to the pile on his desk.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Booth was filling out his penultimate form when his office phone rang. Glad for the interruption, he instantly picked it up. Maybe it's Brennan, he hoped. Maybe she needs my help on a case.

"Booth," he said into the phone.

The sound of Cullen's voice crushed his wishful thinking. "It's time, Booth," he said. "Kenton's waiting for you in my office."

"I'm on my way, sir." Booth hung up the phone so violently he thought he might have broken it. He didn't care if he had. After all he had done for the FBI, after what they were asking him to do now, they couldn't give him any crap about a broken phone.

He headed to Cullen's office, feeling angrier with every step. He was angry with the DA for giving Kenton a deal. Angry with Cullen for giving him this assignment. Angry with Kenton for surviving his gunshot wound. He felt like he was going to explode. When he reached the door to Cullen's office, he forced himself to take a deep breath before knocking.

"Come in," he head Cullen say.

Booth tried to calm himself down as he slowly opened the door. He saw Kenton sitting across from Cullen's desk in the same chair Booth had occupied a few hours earlier. Kenton turned to face Booth as he stepped into the room.

When Booth saw Kenton's face his mind flashed back to the warehouse. He found himself reliving those terrible moments: searching for Brennan, finding her keys, seeing her with a gag in her mouth and her hands tied on a hook, her eyes full of fear as Kenton aimed his gun at her. Booth was certain that if Cullen wasn't in the office he would have killed Kenton then and there.

Cullen held out an envelope to Booth. "Inside are directions to the safe house. Once you arrive you will stay with Kenton until Agent Manning comes to relieve you. Is that understood?"

Booth nodded and took the envelope. He opened it and scanned the directions, dismayed by what he saw. "This is at least a two hour drive," he said. Two hours in a car with Kenton!

"Then you better get going," Cullen replied without sympathy.

To be continued...

**Thanks for reading! All comments are greatly appreciated.**


	3. Chapter 3

A half hour into the torturous car ride Booth had a wonderful idea. A wonderfully wicked idea._ I could crash this car right now_, he thought. _I could make it look like an accident_. He imagined himself describing the crash to Cullen. _It all happened so fast. I didn't see the other car until it was too late. Sorry, boss, there was nothing I could do. Poor Kenton. I hope his death wasn't too painful._ Maybe Cullen would have some doubts, but he wouldn't be able to prove anything.

It would be Cullen's fault anyway. He never should have given Booth this assignment. He should have known that Booth would kill anyone who threatened his partner.

Brennan's voice echoed in his mind. _You can't kill him, Booth_, she had said on the phone. _Not if his testimony could put the Romanos away._ Booth wondered what she was doing right now. Was she putting her hair into a ponytail to examine human remains? Squinting at some complex data on a computer screen? Having a girl talk with Angela? Working on a new book? He caught sight of Kenton's face in the rearview mirror and his blood ran cold. _One thing's for damn sure_, he thought. _She wouldn't be doing anything if Kenton had had his way._

Kenton knew that Booth was seriously pissed at him. Booth hadn't said a word to him or even glanced in his direction. The silence was deafening, and Kenton felt the need to break it. "Booth, I-"

"Shut up," Booth interrupted. "Shut the hell up."

"I'm sorry I went after your partner."

"Sorry?" Booth repeated incredulously. " 'Sorry' is what you said when you took my coffee cup, okay? 'Sorry' doesn't even begin to cover abduction and attempted murder."

"Look, I'm not proud of what I did. I didn't want to kill her, but if I didn't she was going to find me out and the Romanos would kill me."

"So you decided that your life was more important than hers," Booth said, gripping the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles turned white. "I trusted you. I asked you to watch her, to protect her. And you...you tied her up. Put a gag in her mouth. Held a gun to her head. I'm sorry I didn't kill you that day."

"Hey, if it makes you feel better, it really hurt when you shot me." Kenton rubbed his arm. "It still hurts."

Booth almost smiled. "Good."

"You know, after you shot me, when I was lying on the ground in pain, I saw the two of you together. I saw how you were holding each other. I'm sorry, man...I didn't know that you loved her."

Booth felt his cheeks burning. "Shut up. Just shut up. You don't get to talk about her."

But Kenton kept talking. "I guess that explains why you got blown up instead of her. Looking for something cold to drink after your booty call?"

Booth swerved into the breakdown lane and stopped the car. He turned to face Kenton, giving him a look he reserved for the worst criminal offenders. "I swear to God, Kenton, that if you keep talking I am going to shoot you."

Kenton laughed. "I happen to get shot- again- while under your protection? It'd be the end of your career."

"I don't care," Booth took his gun out and pointed it at Kenton. "Keep talking and I WILL shoot you."

"Alright, Booth. You win. I won't say another word." Kenton put a finger to his lips.

Booth reluctantly put his gun away and turned around in the driver's seat. The rest of their trip was spent in complete silence. When they arrived at the safe house, Booth was overjoyed to see that Agent Eric Manning was there waiting for them. "I figured that you'd want to get rid of this one as soon as possible," Manning said to Booth when he got out of the car. "You can drive my car home."

Booth shook his hand. "Thanks, Eric. I really appreciate it."

"Goodbye Agent Booth," Kenton said. "I'm sure I'll see you again soon. Tell Dr. Brennan that I said hi."

Booth couldn't hold himself back anymore. He punched Kenton in the face, sending him stumbling backward. "Eric, I'd appreciate it if you didn't--"

"Don't worry about it, Booth," Agent Manning interrupted. "I didn't see a thing."

Booth walked to Manning's car, hoping that this would be his last encounter with Kenton.

It wasn't.

**Thanks for reading! All comments make me insanely happy**.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: Thanks to all who have written reviews- you guys rock! **

**This chapter begins in Kenton's POV, then switches over to Booth's. Hope you enjoy. :)**

It had been only three weeks since Booth had dropped him off at the so-called safe house. It felt like three months. He hadn't seen Booth since, but he had thought about him every day; physical pain was a powerful reminder. As if his gunshot wound wasn't bad enough, Booth had given him a broken nose as a going away present. Then Manning had smacked him around, calling him a traitor and a murderer. Agent Donovan had nearly broken his jaw, and Agent Cook had broken two of his ribs. All three men were friends of Booth. The other agents hadn't touched him; they just looked at him with contempt and disgust. It was worse than being in jail. If he were in jail, his guards would have other prisoners to torment. Here, in this "safe" house, he was the only target.

The Romanos had treated him like one of their own. They had given him cash, expensive suits, jewelry, and women. They had flown him around the world in their private jet. What had the FBI ever done for him? Given him crap assignments and a pitiful salary. Why should he betray the Romanos for them? Why stick around here and be abused and despised?

He needed to get out of here. Tonight. He had been watching his guards closely, learning their routines and looking for their weaknesses. Tonight Agent Wright was on duty. He pretended to be a tough guy, but Kenton knew it was all an act. Wright was an inexperienced kid, only a few years out of the Academy. Kenton could take him out easily. Once he was free, he intended to get his revenge against Booth. He wouldn't kill him right away. He would make him suffer first. Booth's weakness was obvious; he had let himself fall in love with his partner.

_You left the hospital after being blown up so you could play the hero, _Kenton thought. _You held her and told her everything was okay while I was bleeding on the ground_. _You were ready to shoot me in the car just for talking about her. I couldn't finish the job last time. This time I won't fail. This time I'll really kill her. What will you do then, Booth? How will you live with yourself?_

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It had been three weeks since Booth had last seen Kenton, and he thought about him less and less. He and Bones were working on a new case. The bones of a professor at George Washington University had been recovered from the Potomac river, and they had had their hands full interviewing dozens of his students and colleagues. Very few had had anything nice to say about him, but none of their petty complaints seemed grounds for murder. After a full day of interviews and a long night at the lab, Booth had convinced Brennan that he should drive her home. Normally their car rides were filled with lively debate. He would tell her what he believed in his gut, and she would tell him that he was being illogical. Lately, however, their trips had been quiet. She had kept her distance since the warehouse.

Booth couldn't stand the silence any longer. "Bones, we need to talk."

"About what?" She asked innocently.

"About us. Ever since the Cugini case, things have been different."

"I've noticed," Brennan said. "When we're working together you never let me out of your sight, and when we're apart you keep calling me and asking me how I'm doing. It's kind of annoying."

"Hey, you were almost murdered. Sorry if I'm being overprotective. But don't pretend that you haven't changed either. You've backed away from me. Why?"

_Because we got too close. If we get any closer we'll be lovers, and anyone who loves me eventually leaves me. So I had to step back, _Brennan thought. She couldn't tell Booth that, so she decided to deny everything. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Booth knew she was lying and he hated it. They had been through so much together; why couldn't she confide in him? "Look, if you don't want to tell me, fine. Just don't lie to me."

"Fine. I'll stop lying to you when you stop treating me like a child. I can take care of myself, Booth."

"Yeah? Were you taking care of yourself when Kenton had you tied up in that warehouse?" Booth shot back. When he saw the look on his partner's face he instantly regretted it. "I'm sorry, Bones. I'm so sorry." He didn't say another word until they had reached Brennan's apartment. "Can I walk you to your door?"

"That won't be necessary. Good night." She slammed the car door and raced up the steps to her apartment building.

When she got to her apartment Kenton was waiting for her.

**Thanks for reading! All comments are greatly appreciated.**


	5. Chapter 5

_I am such an idiot_, Booth thought as he drove away from Brennan's apartment. _She was already pulling away from me, and now I've pushed her even further. I should go back to her apartment and apologize. _He was preparing to turn the car around when another thought hit him. _She was complaining that I've been too protective. Maybe I should give her some time and space to herself. Right now she's mad at me. If I wait until tomorrow she might be more willing to talk._

_No, it can't wait until tomorrow. I can't go to sleep knowing that Bones is mad at me. I have to talk to her tonight. But what if she won't let me in? What can I say to her? Please, God, help me find the right words. _As if in answer to his prayer, Booth noticed a Chinese restaurant up ahead. _Of course! I'll bring a peace offering._ _She'll have to let me in then._

Booth pulled into the restaurant parking lot. There were only a few other cars; normal people would have had dinner hours ago. He parked the car and sprinted to the entrance.

"I'm sorry," a man said as he opened the door. "We're closing up."

"Please, this is really important. I don't want to eat here. I just need some take-out." Booth was surprised at how desperate he sounded.

"I'm sorry. You come back tomorrow."

"It can't wait." Booth took out his badge. "As an employee of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, I am ordering you to stay open."

The man looked at his badge skeptically. "Is that real?"

"Of course it's real!"

"Why you want food so bad?"

"It's not for me, actually. It's for my partner. She's mad at me," Booth explained.

"Ah! Woman troubles. I see. Okay. I fix you up something real nice." The man winked at Booth and disappeared into the kitchen. Twenty minutes later he returned with a large take-out box. "You take this to your girl. She forgive you."

"Thanks a lot." He paid for the meal and left the restaurant. He put the box on the passenger seat of his car and drove in the direction of Brennan's apartment.

_Everything will be fine now, _he thought as he drove. _I'll knock on her door with the box in my hands. She'll let me in and we'll talk._ _I'll say how sorry I am and she'll forgive me. Everything will go back to the way it used to be._

He was preoccupied with these thoughts when the black SUV hit his car. Booth lurched forward. Luckily he was wearing his seatbelt. The food was not so lucky; it fell to the floor and the box sprang open, spilling its precious contents.

_Great. Just great. Of all the times to get in a car accident! Is this karmic retribution because I wanted to crash the car with Kenton in it?_

Booth's aggravation turned to apprehension as the driver of the SUV got out and walked toward him. Booth recognized him immediately. It was Frank Lombardi, a hit man for the Romanos. Lombardi was pointing a gun at him. "Get out of the car, Agent Booth. Reach for your weapon and you're dead."

Booth got out of the car. _So this is it. I'm going to die right here, right now. I'll never see my son grow up, and Brennan will never know how much I loved her. _

Lombardi smiled at him. "Jamie Kenton says hi." He hit Booth with the butt of his gun and everything went dark.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Booth's first conscious thought was that his head hurt. He was tied to a chair in a darkened building. What the hell had happened to him? Slowly, slowly his memories started to return. He had fought with Bones. He had gone to get her food. He was driving back to her apartment. The black SUV had hit him, then Lombardi had come out with a gun.

_Where am I now? And why aren't I dead? Kenton said Lombardi had killed 25 people. Why wasn't I number 26? They must be planning to torture me first._

"You're awake." He heard Lombardi say. "Good. Now the fun can begin."

"I've been tortured before," Booth said defiantly. "You're not going to break me."

"We'll see about that," Lombardi said. He walked away, returning moments later with a television/VCR on a wheeled cart.

"You're going to make me watch 'American Idol'?" Booth quipped. Lombardi didn't answer. He put a tape in the VCR and pushed play. The image on the screen made Booth's heart stop.

It was Brennan. There was a gag in her mouth and her hands were tied above her head on a hook, just as they had been when Kenton had taken her.

Suddenly Kenton appeared on the screen. He spoke directly to the camera. "You can't save her this time, Booth. You can only watch."

**Don't worry; I'm a big believer in happy endings. Thanks for reading! All comments are greatly appreciated.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: Thanks to Christine and Rebecca for listening to me work this story out when you had no idea what I was talking about**.

Temperance couldn't believe that it was really happening again.

Last night she had told Booth that his constant calls and concerns about her welfare were annoying her. She had accused him of treating her like a child. She had even slammed the car door in his face when he asked if he could walk her to her door. She had always been a strong, independent woman; she didn't want Booth treating her like a proverbial damsel in distress. So she had walked away from him– straight into Kenton's trap.

She had been retrieving her apartment key from the depths of her purse when she felt something sharp- a needle presumably- being shoved into her back. Instantly she felt weak and dizzy. Her legs buckled and she fell to the floor. The drugs quickly worked their way through her system, and she could feel her consciousness slipping away. _I'm so sorry, Booth_, she thought in her last seconds of clarity. _Please help me._

When she woke up, she found herself alone in a strange building, bound and gagged. _NO!_ Her mind shouted. _Not again!_ Suddenly she heard footsteps behind her. They belonged to the man who had plagued her dreams, Agent Jamie Kenton. He was carrying a portable camcorder.

"Dr. Brennan, it's good to see you again," he said as he stepped in front of her. "Sorry we have to keep meeting like this. I promise you that this will be the last time."

Brennan tried to scream but couldn't produce a sound. She struggled against her restraints but couldn't move. She was completely helpless–again. She needed Booth.

Kenton seemed to read her thoughts. "Booth isn't coming this time. One of my associates has detained him. But don't worry." He motioned to the camera. "He won't miss a thing. Poor Booth. I wonder what watching you die will do to him."

_Leave Booth alone!_ _This is all my fault. He wanted me to walk away from this case, but I was too stubborn to listen. Yet he'll think it's his fault. He'll never forgive himself_ _for not walking me to my door. This will destroy him. Please, God, I may not believe in you, but Booth does. If you're really there, please help him._

"Let's put on a good show for your partner, shall we?" He turned the camera on and pointed it at Brennan. She tried to stay calm. If Booth saw how frightened she was it would break his heart. Kenton then pointed the camera at himself. "You can't save her this time, Booth. You can only watch." After a few moments he turned the camera off and smiled. He looked very pleased with himself.

"I just had a great idea. In a minute I'm going to remove your gag and turn the camera back on. I want you to scream for help. Scream for Booth to come save you. That will REALLY rip his heart out." He took the gag out of her mouth. "Go ahead, Dr. Brennan. Scream."

"No," she said firmly. "I won't do it. You're going to kill me no matter what I do. I'm not going to help you torment Booth."

Kenton's face hardened. "You will play along, Dr. Brennan, or Booth is dead. All I have to do is make a phone call. You don't want your lover dead, do you?"

"We're not lovers."

Kenton's eyebrows raised in surprise. "Seriously? You two have never...? Wow. So Booth's feelings for you are entirely unrequited? How perfect. So you don't care then if he lives or dies?"

The tears Brennan had been fighting to hold back finally broke free. _Booth is a good man– a great man, and he might die because of me. _"Of course I care."

Kenton's smile returned. "Good. Then scream."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD. THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING,_ Booth's mind screamed. _This is all my fault! I should have killed Kenton in the warehouse or in the car. I should have walked Brennan to her door. I failed her, and now she's going to die_. _Please, God, if I have to die now I understand, but let Brennan live. I'll say 100 Hail Marys and 100 Our Fathers. I'll build you a church in the desert. I'll do anything you want. Just let her be okay._

Seeing his partner bound and gagged had sliced open his insides. He hadn't felt this terrible when he had been blown up. The images currently playing were even worse. Her gag was gone, and she was calling out to him from the screen."Booth! Help me, Booth, please! Save me!"

Booth knew that Kenton was forcing her to say these things. "You sonofabitch!" He yelled at the screen. "Let her go!"

Lombardi laughed at him. "You do know that he can't hear you, right?"

Booth had forgotten Lombardi was in the room. He turned his head to face his captor. "You can talk to him. Tell him I'll do anything he wants if he releases her." As he said this a horrible thought overcame him. Was it too late? Was she already gone?

Lombardi laughed again. "What he wants is for you to suffer. He won't let her go."

If Booth made it out of here alive he was going to kill Kenton with his bare hands. "Then I'm done playing his game. I'm not going to watch anymore."

"Fine," Lombardi replied. "I'll call Jamie and tell him to stop playing around. He can go ahead and kill her."

_So she's still alive, if Lombardi is telling the truth. _Booth thought. _Thank God._

Lombardi must have seen the look of relief on Booth's face. "Yes, she's alive. For the moment anyway. But if you would rather he put an end to her suffering right now--"

"No," Booth quickly interrupted.

"That's what I thought," Lombardi said smugly. "If your eyes leave that screen, even for a second, I make the call."

So Booth trained his eyes on the screen, enduring minute after agonizing minute of Brennan pleading for her life, begging Booth to save her. Finally the tape stopped, the image of his crying partner replaced by a serene blue screen. "What now?" He asked, unsure that he wanted the answer.

"We wait for the next tape," Lombardi answered.

Booth wasn't sure how long they waited. Every minute felt like an hour as he imagined what Kenton was doing to her. He both wanted and didn't want the next tape to come. Was it worse to know or not to know? When it finally came, Booth held his breath as Lombardi pushed it into the VCR.

Nothing could have prepared him for what he was about to see.

**In chapter seven we'll see what's on the second tape. Thanks for reading! All comments are greatly appreciated.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note: Apologies to my family for monopolizing the computer as I wrote this, but I couldn't keep my loyal readers waiting while our beloved characters were in peril!**

_Let her still be alive, please God, let her be alive, _Booth prayed as Lombardi put the second tape in the VCR._ Just hold on, Bones. I'm going to find a way out of here. I'm going to find you and save you. _

Kenton's face filled the screen. "I want to apologize to you, Booth. I shouldn't have teased you about having a relationship with your partner; I didn't know that you two weren't a couple. Since you're not together, I'm sure that you won't mind what I'm about to do." He turned his back to the camera and walked toward Brennan. When he was a few inches away from her, he stopped, leaned over and kissed her on the forehead. Then he kissed her nose and cheeks. Now he was kissing her lips. Once. Twice. Three times. Each kiss was longer than the one before. Now he was kissing her neck. Brennan's face was wrinkled in disgust.

_Oh dear God. _Booth felt violently ill as he realized Kenton's intentions. _He's going to rape her! _Anger and adrenaline surged through his veins. _If she wasn't tied up she would kick his sorry ass! I can't let this happen._ _I won't let this happen. NO ONE HURTS MY GIRL! _He flexed every muscle in his body, praying that he could snap the ropes that bound him through sheer force of will, but his restraints remained firm. He tried again and again, refusing to give up. Nothing was going to stop him from saving her.

Lombardi laughed at Booth's struggles. "You may as well settle down, Agent Booth. You're not going anywhere." He was watching the television screen with amusement. "Nice of Jamie to show your partner a good time before she dies."

Booth was no stranger to anger, but the rage he felt now was like nothing he had ever experienced before. He felt as if his whole body was on fire. "I'm going to kill you! I'm going to kill you both!"

Lombardi turned away from the television and moved towards Booth, getting in his face. "You're going to kill ME?" He said condescendingly. "You can't even get out of that chair."

But Lombardi had underestimated Booth's rage, and his proximity gave Booth the opportunity he had been waiting for. Booth head butted Lombardi so forcefully that the hit man staggered backwards and dropped to the floor in pain. Booth then leaned forward in his chair as much as his ropes would allow and sprang to his feet. He hurled himself and the chair at the far wall with all the intensity he could muster. The chair didn't stand a chance, flying apart on impact. Booth pulled the ropes off of his body and picked up a severed chair leg. Holding the leg in the air he rushed at Lombardi. Lombardi was reaching for his gun, but Booth whacked his arm with the leg. The gun fell to the floor and both men dove for it. Booth reached it first. He pointed it at his captor.

"Where are they?" He demanded.

Lombardi said nothing.

Booth didn't have time for this. He shot Lombardi in his right leg. The hit man howled and grabbed his leg. "Tell me where they are, or I'll shoot your other leg."

"I don't know," Lombardi answered.

"Wrong answer." Booth shot his left leg. "You don't owe Kenton anything. He told the FBI everything about you to save himself. Tell me where they are, and I'll make him pay. Or would you rather I keep shooting?"

Lombardi scowled. "Tunlaw Road. An abandoned warehouse."

"Good choice. You better hope I find my partner alive, because if she's not I swear to God I will disembowel you."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Booth raced along the streets in Lombardi's car, ignoring stop signs, red lights, and the cursing of other motorists. _Get the hell out of my way! _He thought as he passed car after car. _I'm coming, Bones. Hang on just a little bit longer._ He could hear Bones' voice in his head telling him to slow down. _You're driving like a maniac. Don't get yourself killed on your way to save me! _But he had no time for caution. He couldn't afford to waste a single second.

His heart leapt when he saw the warehouse. His first instinct was to rush in, but he didn't want to spook Kenton. _Now you have to go slow_, his mind told him. _You've come this far. Don't screw it up now. _Slowly he pushed open the door and crept into the warehouse, his gun at the ready. After a few minutes of exploring he saw them. Kenton was on top of her, tearing her clothes. Booth aimed for his head. _I'm not going to miss this time. _He pulled the trigger and watched with satisfaction as Kenton fell to the floor, definitely dead.

He sprinted to his partner's side and untied her. She threw her arms around him and sobbed into his shoulder. _Thank you, God. _Booth thought. _Thank you, thank you. _He waited until her tears subsided before speaking. "Are you okay? Did he...?" He stopped, not wanting to use the word rape.

She knew what he was asking. "No," she answered, lifting her face to look at him. "But he was going to. Then he was going to kill me."

"Bones, I am so sorry for not walking you to your door. I know you told me not to, but I should have done it anyway."

"I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have yelled at you for wanting to protect me." She managed a weak laugh. "Apparently even the great Temperance Brennan needs protection sometimes."

As Booth looked into her eyes, shining now because of her tears, he couldn't deny his feelings for her any longer. "When I thought I was going to die, I regretted two things. The first was that I wouldn't see Parker grow up. The second was that you would never know how much I loved you."

"I do know, Booth. I've always known, and it scared me. I didn't want to love you back because if it didn't work out I would lose you...But when I thought I was going to die, I had regrets too. I thought: There are so many bodies in the lab that I'll never get the chance to identify. I'll never see Zack get his doctorate. I'll never see Angela happy in a relationship. I'll never finish my latest book. And...I never had the chance to kiss Booth."

Booth smiled. "I can help you with that last one, if it's okay with you." When she nodded he leaned in and kissed her lips lovingly.

In the years that followed Booth occasionally forgot her birthday or their wedding anniversary, but he never forgot that moment, their first kiss. It was the start of the best relationship of their lives.

**Thanks for reading! All comments are greatly appreciated.**


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